CAMHS in the Community

The CAMHS Community Mental Health Team supports children and young people in Northamptonshire who have severe and complex mental health difficulties. The service offers a range of therapies delivered individually or in groups, at a number of localities across the county.

Type

CAMHS in the Community

Our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) supports children and young people with significant mental health difficulties. The service offers a range of therapies delivered individually or in groups, in partnership with families at a number of localities.

Here at CAMHS we offer:

Mental health assessments

Skills based workshops for young people, parents and carers

Individual work with a range of professionals including psychology, psychiatry, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and psychotherapists

CAMHS Live - helping you to access the mental health services you might need

Cognitive assessments

Consultation Line

Children’s Response and Resolution Team

Training for professionals.

When we receive a request for help we will offer you an appointment. At the first appointment we will spend time talking about the reasons you are here. We will listen to you, you can tell us anything you like about how you are feeling and ask as many questions as you like. This is a safe environment and we want to help you. We find it helpful to meet other members of your family so we can hear what they think about the difficulty but we will also talk to you separately. You may prefer if it is just you at the appointment and this is fine, just let us know.

Who is this service for? Children and young people in Northamptonshire who have severe and complex mental health difficulties.

Useful resources

Resources - leaflets and posters

Resources - other organisations

Headspace Website and App
This website teaches young people about meditation and mindfulness. This can be a valuable coping skill when feeling overwhelmed or unable to control strong thoughts and feelings. Users can sign up for free and take part in guided meditation and mindfulness sessions.

Young Minds - Parents Helpline
This is a confidential service (unless the advisors think the young person is at risk) advisors are available from 9:30am – 4:00pm Monday to Friday. The advisor will listen and give some practical guidance on how to help, if you need further help they’ll refer you to one of our specialists whether it's a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, psychologist or mental health nurse. They’ll arrange a phone consultation within 7 days.

Calm Harm Website and App
This resource is designed to help young people resist the urge to self-harm, it is free and password protected.

HeadMeds
Website powered by young minds for young people about mental health medication. It has lists of medications, what they are used for and side effects explained without medical terms or jargon.

AskNormen
A website for those interested mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people in Northamptonshire. It contains a search tool and links to a directory of services.

Beat.
BEAT is the UK leading charity for supporting those with Eating Disorders; the website contains lots of useful information about types of eating difficulties as well as support helplines.

Rethink
Rethink is a mental health charity which provides advice and information and a list of available support in your area.

Moving on from CAMHS

Becoming an adult is a crucial stage of your social, personal and emotional development when we all need to pay close attention to your individual needs. This may also at this time when you move on from CAMHS.

Flexibility about the age at which you move to an appropriate adult service is based upon your individual needs. In some cases, completion of a current plan beyond your 18th birthday may prevent the need to move to an adult service.

For some young person who first have contact with CAMHS in the six months prior to their 18th birthday, and who are likely to require longer term support, may begin seeing an adult service straight away.

Regardless of which service you are moving on to, that service should get to know you beforehand and a plan should be in place to ensure the move happens as seamlessly as possible.

The plans should be:

In your best interests and involve shared decision making

Undertaken collaboratively and in partnership with the service and yourself

Planned, structured and timely

Embedded in the involvement of all agencies and staff involved in your care

Take into consideration the needs of carers.

If you have any questions or concerns please talk to a member of the CAMHS team.